DNA testing is one of
the most powerful tools available to genealogists. DNA can break down brick
walls when nothing else can--even when the documentary evidence conflicts or
the paper trail comes to an end. DNA test results help genealogists
verify their paternal ancestry (father's father), and the Thompson DNA
project continues to make previously-unknown connections.

The Thompson DNA
project is growing rapidly, and every participant is adding important
information to our knowledge about Thompson heritage.

DNA testing is making connections
between families with Thompson surname variants used in different areas of
the world including Thomson,
Thomsen, Thomason, Thomazin, Taweson, MacThomas, MacTavish, MacCavish,
Macomish, Macomb, McComas, McComb,
MacCombie, and reasonable spelling variations. See The Thompson Surname
section below for a list of known variations and their origins.

The Thompson DNA Project continues
to

1. Collect, document,
and extend Thompson pedigrees to find common ancestors. See the Patriarchs
page.

2. Help researchers find related families
so they can work together to trace their shared heritage. See the DNA
Results page and the Patriarchs page.

3. Identify the DNA of the
ancestor families and compile the families and their lost branches into distinct
genetic lineages through DNA matches. See the DNA Results page.

Thompson means "son of
Thomas." There are endless variations as shown below.

From MacLysaght, The
Surnames of Ireland:

Thom(p)son Though
of comparatively recent introduction this is the second most numerous purely
non-Irish name in Ireland. It is mainly found in Ulster. Without the
intrusive P, Thompson is Scottish. See Holmes and MacCavish.

Holmes The
English name Holmes is not common in Ireland. The Scottish Holmes, which is
found in considerable number in all the provinces, especially Ulster, can,
like Thomson, be equated with several combinations of Mac and the Christian
name Thomas, e.g. Mac Thomais . . . which is also anglicized MacCombe
and MacComish. In north Connacht Holmes has been used synonymously
with Cavish.

(Mac) Cavish
Mac Thomhais. A rare name found in Co. Cavan, akin to the Scottish
MacTavish. Both Mac Cavish and MacTavish have sometimes been changed to
Thomson or Thompson in Co. Cavan. See Holmes.

Mac Comb(e), -Come
Mac Thom. The name of a Scottish family now fairly numerous in
north-east Ulster. MacComish and MacCombs (Mac Thomais) are variants
in Co. Down; MacCome is an old name in Co. Armagh. . . . See Holmes.

Mac Combie A sept
of the Scottish clan Mackintosh.

From Black, The
Surnames of Scotland:

MAC(wrongly
contracted M', Mc) is a Gaelic prefix occurring in Scottish names of Gaelic
origin, as Macdonald, Maclean, . . . meaning 'son.' The word
corresponds to son in names of Teutonic origin as Anderson, Johnson,
Watson, to the Fitz (Lat. filius) in Norman-French names, as
Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick; and to Welsh map (etymologically akin to
Mac), shortened to 'ap or 'p as in Ap Richard, whence Prichard, . . . It
corresponds partly to Irish O, though this rightly means descendant.

THOM. A diminutive of
THOMAS, q.v. . . . Thom is also used as an Anglicized form of MACTHOM,
q.v.

THOMAS. A common
Anglo-Norman personal name. . . . In Gaelic it assumes the forms Tomas, Tamhus, hence the Gaelic patronymics MACTAVISH, MACCOMBIE, and MACOMIE, q.v.
As a surname in Scotland it is of late introduction from England.

THOMPSON, 'son of
THOM," q.v. with intrusive p. This spelling is more commonly
found in England.

THOMS. 'Son of THOMAS,'
from the diminutive THOM. It is also an Anglicizing of MACTHOMAS, q.v.
"Adam M'Intosh, son of William, the seventh chief of the Clan M'Intosh, was
the founder of that branch of the clan which afterwards came to be known by
the surname of M'Thomas, son of Thomas, which in time became corrupted to
M'Thomie, M'Homie, M'Omie, M'Comie, and latterly M'Combie and Thoms. (Memoirs
of the families of M'Combie and Thoms, p. 5)

THOMSON, 'son of THOM,"
q.v. A fairly numerous surname in Scotland. . . . Many individuals of
this name in Perthshire and Argyllshire are really Mactavishes. The surname
in these districts is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Thomais, 'son
of Thomas,' or of Mac Thomaidh, 'son of Tommie.' The name is usually
spelled MaKcome (3 syllables) in the early records, and was formerly common
in Upper Deeside. . . . In some instances it is also an Englishing of
MACCOMIE, q.v. See also THOMASON.

MACCOMB, MACCOMBE. From
G. Mac Thom, 'son of Tom,' now often Englished THOM. The b is
accretionary. . . . In the Parish Lists of Wigtownshire and Minigaff, 1684,
the name also appears as McColm, McComb, McCome, and McKComb.

COMBE. Most probably
shortened from (MAC)COMB, q.v.

MACCOMBICH, MACCHOMBICH.
G. Mac-Thomaidh, 'son of Tommie' (diminutive of Thomas). A common
name in Breadalbane two hundred years ago. . . . and still found in
Argyllshire.

MACCOMBIE, MACCOMBE,
MACCOMIE, MACOMIE. G. MacComaidh. a contracted form of
MacThomaidh, 'son of Tommie or Tommy." In Perthshire frequently Englished
Thomson. The b was introduced into the name about the end of
the eighteenth century. MacComy was a common surname in Breadalbane 250
years and more years ago. . . . MacKomie and M'Komy 1696, M'Colmy 1644,
McColme 1585, M'Come 1644, McChomay, M'Homie.

MACOMISH, MACCOMISH.
G. Mac Thomais, 'son of Thomas.'

MACTAVISH. From G. Mac
Tamhais, a form of MacThamhais, 'son of Tammas,' the Lowland
Scots form of Thomas. Mactavishes are numerous in Argyllshire. The
Mactavishes of Stratherrick are considered a sept of the Frasers.

TAWESON, TAWESSON. An
Englishing of MacTavish, q.v.

TAWS, TAWSE. A phonetic
spelling of Gaelic Tamhas, 'Thomas.' . . . The surname Taise, found in Mar
in the seventeenth century, is probably another form of the name. See
MACTAVISH.

MACTHOMAS. G. Mac
Tomais, 'son of Thomas." The branch of the Clan Mackintosh which came
afterwards to be known by the surname Macthomas was descended from Adam
M'William of Garvarmore, in Badenoch, a natural son of William, the seventh
chief of the clan Mackintosh. . . . The aspirated form, Mac Thomais,
gives Macomish, Mac Homas . . . .

From Bardsley, A
Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames With Special American Instances:

[Diminutive suffixes from
pages 24-25: Diminutives in ot and et . . . All the
diminutives in ot and et were added to the nick of the name,
which was always one syllable [e.g. Thomset]. Diminutives in on
or in. . . . Huggins or Hutchins represents a once familiar term for
Hugh, Perrin for Peter, Robin or Dobbin for Robert [and Thomasin for
Thomas]. Diminutives in kin. Kin came to mean a 'young one,' a
child. . . . I may mention Hawkins (Henry), Tompkins (Thomas), Simkin
(Simon), Jenkins (John) . . .]

Thom, Thoms, Thomes.--
Bapt. 'the son of Thomas,; from the nick. Thome or Tom. Thome being the
earlier form; v. Thomson.

Thomas, Thomason,
Thomasson, Thomassin, Thomeson.--(I) Bapt. 'the son of Thomas.' Thomas
or Thome (whence Tom) was a universal favourite. The 13th and 14th century
registers teem with it; v. Tomlin, Tomilinson, Thomson, Thompson,
Tomkins, Tomkinson, Tombs, &c. (a) Bapt. 'the son of Thomasin' (q.v.). the
two have become mixed.

Thomasin.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the dim. Thomasin. A feminine Thomasina or
Thomasine arose about the year 1350, and was popular as a font-name over the
whole country till the 18th century. It is found in every register in every
conceivable form, including Tamzen and Tomson. No doubt Thomasin, as a
surname, has long been lost in Thomason or Thomson. . . . For other
instances, v. Thomas.

Thomasset, Tompsett,
Thomsett, Tomsett.--Bapt. 'the son of Thomas,' from the dim. Thomas-et.
The p in Tompsett is intrusive, as in Thompson. Although there cannot
be the shadow of a doubt about the origin of this surname, I have not come
upon any early instances.

Thomerson--Bapt. A
corruption of Thomasson (v.Thomas).

Thomlinson, Thomlin.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Thom, and the dim. Thom-lin; v. Tomlin
for early instances.

Thoms.--Bapt. 'the
son of Thomas,' from the nick. Thom (later on Tom), and genitive Thoms.
Hence Thomson. v.Thom.

Tamblyn, Tamlin,
Tamlyn.--Bapt. 'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom (commonly Tam)
and dim. Tomlin (commonly Tamlin). The b in Tamblin is the usual
excrescence; cf. Hamblin for Hamlin, and v. Tomblin, Tamplin, and Tomlin. It
is interesting to notice how determinately the o in Tom became a.
Even Tomlinson is found as Taminson.

Tamlin, -lyn; v.
Tamblyn.

Tamplin.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas.' The order is Thomas, nick. Tom, dim. Thomelin or
Tomlin, North or South-West English Tamlin, then with intrusive but
inevitable p, Tamplin; cf. Thompson and Thomson from same root. v.
Tomlin, Tamblyn, and Taplin.

Taplin, Tapling.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from nick. Tom, and dim. Tamlin, which became Tamplin (q.v),
corrupted to Taplin. Thus the p is intrusive as in Tompson, and the
g excrescent as in Robling or Hewlings; cf. Tapson for Tampson.

Tappin, Tapping.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' a corruption of Tamplin, q.v.

Tapson.--Bapt. 'the
son of Thomas,' a corruption of Tampson (v. Tamplin and Tamblyn), just as
Taplin is a corruption of Tamplin (i.e.Tamlin, or Tomlin).

Tolmin, Tolming,
Toulmin.--Bapt. 'the son of Thomas,' a curious inversion of Tomlin. I
have no absolute proof of this, but I cannot doubt it. If I am wrong, then
these names are variants of Toleman, q.v. In Furness and the neighbouring
district, where Tomlin and Tomlinson (now often Townson, q.v.) were very
familiar, we find Tolming settled for generations.

Tolson, Toulson,
Towlson, Towlsion.--(I) Bapt. 'the son of Thomas.' Odd as it may seem,
these are but corruptions of Tomlinson, and in the Lake District and other
parts of North England they have gone through the stages of Towlinson and
Towlason to Towlson. Townson (q.v.) is the popular modern form.

Tom.--Bapt. 'the
son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom; v. Toms.

Tomalin.--bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' a corruption of Tomblinson; v. Tomblin.

Tomblin, Tomblinson.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom, dim. Tom-lin, with usual excrescent
b after m; cf. Timbs and Tombs, and v. Tomlin.

Tombs, Toombs.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom, patr. Toms, with intrusive b
after m; cf. Tomblin.

Tomes; v. Toms, of
which it is a variant. Cf. Times, a variant of Tims or Timms; v. Timm.

Tomkin, Tomkins,
Tomkinson, Tomkies.--Bapt. 'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Thom, by
and by reduced to Tom, dim. Tom-kin (v. kin, Introd. p. 25). Tomkies, of
course, is a corruption of Tomkins, as Perkiss or Parkies is of Perkins.

Tompkin, Tompkins.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom and dim. Tom-kin. The p is
intrusive, as in Thompson; cf. Wilkin, Watkin, Simpkin, &c. v.
Tomkin.

Tompsett; v.
Thomasset.

Tompson.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom. The p is intrusive as in
Tompkins, Simpkins, &c.; v. Thomson.

Toms, Tomes, Tomson.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' from the nick. Tom' v. Thom and Tombs.

Tomsett; v.
Thomasset.

Towerson.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas,' one of endless corruptions of Tomlinson (v. Tolson and
Townson). the stages of corruption were first Towleson, then Towenson, then
Towerson ; cf. Catterson for Catlinson, or Patterson for Pattinson.

Townson.--Bapt.
'the son of Thomas.' However odd this may seem to be, it is
unmistakably true. Townson is a North Lancashire corruption of the great
Furness surname Tomlinson through the stage Towenson. Of this there cannot
be the shadow of a doubt. Even now Townson is pronounced Tone-son in the
district.

[**Note by Linda Thompson
Jonas: The surname Townson is not the same as the surname Townsend which
means 'at the town-end,' but Townson may have been misinterpreted as
Townsend after emigration to other areas. Do not dismiss DNA matches to
the surname Townsend or Townshend.]

Towson.--Bapt. 'the
son of Thomas,' an abbreviated form of Townson, q.v. This corruption
is early found in North Lancashire, where Townson and Towson, &c. arose.
Towson is thus but a modification of Towenson as that is of Tomlinson.

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